| If you are a beginner to plastering then before | | | | written Mastering Plumbing!). In particular, always |
| starting any plastering job be sure to consider these | | | | keep your buckets and trowel clean and ensure you |
| tips and techniques for proper job preparation. | | | | only use perfectly clean water for mixing with plaster. |
| 1. Choose Your Area: If you are a novice plasterer | | | | As a rule, if you wouldn't drink it don't use it for |
| then you might prefer to start in a spare bedroom | | | | mixing plaster. |
| with an existing poor finish that can only be made | | | | Only ever use clean and very fresh water for mixing |
| better which will greatly reduce the stress on you. | | | | plaster. If you don't then your plaster will "go off" (i.e. |
| Remember, you can plaster skim the walls as many | | | | set) to quickly and will need to be discarded. So, as a |
| times as you like so you can always go over a not | | | | rule... |
| so perfect job later as you get better. | | | | * Never use plaster that is going off - plaster is |
| Plastering is largely a matter of confidence and you | | | | cheap so throw it away and start again. |
| may prefer to start in a low-pressure environment | | | | * Never use plaster that is contaminated with |
| first before hitting your own walls for the first time. | | | | anything. |
| However, don't worry, providing you have a decent | | | | 3. Allow yourself the time to get the job done: |
| plastering course to follow then you will find that this | | | | Plastering actually progresses a lot quicker than many |
| is not a long learning curve and you will be amazed | | | | people imagine but it still takes time. A large part of |
| how good your first results come out. | | | | your time will be setting up and cleaning away so |
| Remember: 90% of plastering is having the | | | | plastering is not the kind of thing you can spend the |
| confidence and sticking to what we at Mastering | | | | odd hour on here and there. You really need at least |
| Plastering call the "Golden Formula" to the letter. | | | | a half day (3 to 4 hours) at it to make up for the |
| 2. Ensure A Good Supply of Water: If cleanliness is | | | | time it takes to mix the plaster, cover and finish your |
| next to Godliness then plastering is the holy trade! | | | | wall or walls and then clean and tidy away. My advice |
| Ask any plasterer and you will be told the same | | | | is to allow at least 2 to 3 hours for the plastering |
| thing, keep your equipment very clean and most | | | | (the time required for a typical wall as a beginner) |
| importantly clean as you go. | | | | and an hour either way for set up and clean up. So, |
| As you will have no doubt noticed, mixed plaster sets | | | | to give you an idea, yes you can get home from |
| very hard and sets quite fast. You might have visions | | | | work at night and make some progress on your walls |
| of washing dried plaster off buckets and equipment | | | | right after your dinner but expect to be washing out |
| after you have finished your job or leaving it until | | | | your gear at midnight! But hey, its better than |
| tomorrow but trust me, dried plaster sticks like stone | | | | watching TV so don't let me stop you. Better still |
| and you need to clean thoroughly and continually as | | | | allow yourself a full weekend to have a chance to |
| you go. | | | | get a whole room done as a total beginner. |
| There are reasons for this: | | | | 4. Make sure that you have planned the job: |
| * Plaster cleans off much more easily when wet. | | | | My advice is not to bite off more than you can chew |
| * Plastering equipment will usually need replacing if | | | | for starters. Plastering is always a race against the |
| plaster is not cleaned off with water before it dries | | | | clock as I explain in my course when talking about |
| and this can get expensive and is wasteful. | | | | the stages of the Golden Formula and how it works. |
| * Any flecks of dried plaster in your buckets or on | | | | Therefore, trying to plaster a whole room at once as |
| your equipment from previous sessions will later | | | | a beginner (i.e. trying to work on all 4 walls at once) |
| break off to contaminate future batches of plaster. | | | | will not be possible and quickly turn what should be a |
| This can spell disaster as these little gremlins will | | | | satisfying job into bad experience in which nothing |
| cause streaks or "pulls" in your finish causing you | | | | gets done to a good level. |
| endless frustration and poor results. | | | | I'd suggest as a beginner starting with just 1 surface |
| * Contamination in new batches of plaster can result | | | | at a time and feel free to leave the larger walls until |
| in the drying time of plaster being adversely affected | | | | last. All plasterers know in advance exactly what |
| as you will learn and this will cause chaos to applying | | | | they intend to achieve that day and plan accordingly. |
| the "Golden Formula" as used by most plasterers. | | | | Always avoid biting off more than you can chew |
| * Contaminated plaster can't be used and will need to | | | | because if you do you will quickly choke! |
| be disposed of costing time and money. | | | | Make sure that before you start you have gone |
| * A good tradesman is a tidy one and sloppy | | | | through the equipment checklist and have enough |
| processes lead to sloppy work and unhappy | | | | plaster for the job as once you begin plastering and |
| customers. | | | | are working through the Golden Formula you will not |
| To ensure a clean job you will need a good supply of | | | | have enough time to leave the job long enough to |
| clean fresh water. This can be a problem on some | | | | nip out for more materials. |
| building sites where there is no running water. Also, | | | | And finally, one more word of warning: |
| because plaster and plasterers can get messy you | | | | Always turn off your mains power when plastering |
| should avoid using your own or your customer's | | | | anywhere near any electrical socket, switch, light |
| kitchen sink where possible. Fill plenty of buckets of | | | | fitting or appliance. Mixed plaster is mainly water |
| water in advance for mixing and cleaning and | | | | based and as I'm sure you know, mixing water and |
| remember that plaster can block drains so avoid | | | | electricity is a potentially lethal combination. If in doubt |
| flushing too much plaster slurry down the drains. | | | | always seek the advice of a qualified electrician and |
| Dispose of water dirty with plaster down a main | | | | building surveyor before starting any plastering work. |
| outdoor drain not a sink drain (we haven't yet | | | | |